Douglas lies in the north-west Sulpher Springs Valley, with open, grassy lands, which made it the perfect area for many of the region’s largest cattle ranchers. But in 2010, it had a population of 17,378, and in 2018, the figures had shrunk to 15,978.
As with all places, people just prefer bigger towns for their opportunities and better job prospects. Phoenix experienced a population influx of 14.8% during that same period, so it seems people in Arizona are searching for a taste of city living.
Hot Springs, South Dakota
Many people are looking to move as near to main cities as possible, which means smaller, more provincial towns like Hot Springs in South Dakota are encountering a difficult season. There has been a dramatic shift in population numbers in Hot Springs since 2000, with the city feeling a decline of 10% in 2010 and an additional 5% in 2018.
The cause for the reduction in residents is quite apparent when you compare these figures to the rise in South Dakota’s major cities' population.
Warwick, Rhode Island
Rhode Island has always had a small population, but it made headlines in 2018 when it was reported there weren’t enough citizens to justify two House seats. An initiative to expand the state’s population began soon afterward, proposing a bill that grants new residents $10,000 in tax credits.
One of the cities worst afflicted by the drop in population was Warwick, which lost 2.2% of its inhabitants since 2010. For ten years, between 2000 and 2010, Warwick also lost another 3.7% of its population, with no recovery signs for this lonely city.
El Paso, Texas
El Paso is a mid-size American city. Self-sufficient and predictably large, the city has a modern downtown, with a commercial district. Its extreme west location can feel isolating, meaning large industries have never succeeded in taking root.
El Paso is seeing many of its residents leave, but more people arrive than depart, giving the city a population slight increase of 5.2%.
Dyersburg, Tennessee
Dyersburg in northwest Tennessee, has been encountering a dip in its population for years; with the humble city facing downward drift, there was no sign that it would stop until recently.
In 2018 the Frazier Industrial Company opened a new manufacturing plant in Dyersburg, which generated 120 new jobs. It also brought more than $17 million in investments, which may help give the city’s economy the boost it desperately needs.